His support might help Whitman secure votes among Hispanics in the Central Valley, which has been hard hit by the recession and water shortages that have led to fallowed farm fields. Rodriguez has been an outspoken advocate for bolstering the state's water supplies with new dams.

In a statement provided by the Whitman campaign, Rodriguez says Whitman is a fresh, independent-thinking candidate who cares about jobs and education.

Whitman has said she favors more dams and a new delivery system that would send water around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to Southern California and Central Valley farms.